END CHILD POVERTY MAKE WORK PAY - BUDGET 2018 PRE-BUDGET SUBMISSION #EndChildPoverty #Budget2018 - One Family Ireland
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END CHILD POVERTY
MAKE WORK PAY
BUDGET 2018
PRE-BUDGET
SUBMISSION
#EndChildPoverty
#Budget2018END CHILD POVERTY MAKE WORK PAY
ONE FAMILY’S KEY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BUDGET 2018
Target Child Poverty Our Recommendations
Child poverty rates have continued to increase since 20081 1
The Qualified Child Increase should be increased for one-parent
and the Taoiseach has now committed to lifting over 100,000 families most at risk of poverty, to the same weekly amount
children out of consistent poverty by 2020 as part of the Better as Child Benefit (i.e. €32.30 per week, up from €29.80) with
Outcomes, Brighter Futures framework. The focus of these a corresponding higher increase in the QCI payment for
targets must be on children living in one-parent families, as older children. (DSP)
outlined in our recent joint NGO submission on Actions to 2 Alleviate back to school costs for parents by allocating €40
Achieve the Child Poverty Reduction Target.2 million to provide for free school books at primary and post-
Children in one-parent families are living in households that primary level to families in receipt of social welfare. Continue
are almost four times as likely to live in consistent poverty 3 to increase the rates of Back to School Clothing & Footwear
than two-parent households and they live in the most socially Allowance until they are reinstated to €200 for 4-12 year olds
excluded families in Ireland.4 and €305 for children over 12 years. (DSP, DES)
There is a commitment in the Programme for Partnership 3 Increase the income limit for one-parent families to qualify for
Government5 to reform the budgetary process and develop the Back to School Clothing & Footwear Allowance to the same
the process of budget and poverty proofing as a means of limit as a couple household. (DSP)
advancing equality, reducing poverty and strengthening
economic and social rights. Government have begun the
process of implementation and the focus should be on ensuring
budgetary policies are effectively tackling the disproportionate
poverty rates in one-parent families.
1 SILC, 2008-2015
2 https://onefamily.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/NGO-Submission-on-Actions-to-Achieve-Child-Poverty-Target.pdf
3 SILC, 2015
4 Eurostat, 2016
5 http://www.merrionstreet.ie/MerrionStreet/en/ImageLibrary/Programme_for_Partnership_Government.pdf
2END CHILD POVERTY MAKE WORK PAY
ONE FAMILY’S KEY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BUDGET 2018
In-Work Supports - Make Work Pay Our Recommendations
The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection recently published a report on 1
Increase the earnings disregard for One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) and Jobseeker’s
the Position of Lone Parents in Ireland. It includes a series of proposals to help alleviate the Transition (JST) recipients and lone parents in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance to €146.50
difficulties often faced by those parenting alone or sharing parenting, most of per week to support lone parents to take up employment. (DSP)
which refer to One Family’s research, presentations to the Committee, and 2 As part of DSP’s plans to improve staff training; caseworkers and other relevant staff
Pre-Budget Submissions over the past decade.6 The report also supports all assigned to support lone parents should be given specific training to ensure that they fully
our recommendations below. understand the challenges and needs of one-parent families, and to enhance their ability
Reforms of the One-Parent Family Payment7 (OFP) have resulted in only marginal increases to intervene as effectively and beneficially as possible. (DSP)
in employment rates for some one-parent families, a reduction in employment for those with 3 Enable lone parents in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), JST and OFP to participate
children over 128, and higher rates of child poverty and deprivation in these families.9 Targeted in Community Employment by providing an additional €50 per week instead of just
interventions and an investment in services are required to improve access to education and €22.50. (DSP)
employment and reverse these unacceptable levels of poverty.
4 Lone parents who are in employment, whose children are aged between 7 and 14,
Some of the specific challenges for one-parent families in balancing parenting and work should receive both Jobseeker’s Transition payment and Family Income Supplement
include lack of affordable childcare, low pay and precarious work such as zero-hour contracts. (FIS) to make work pay. (DSP)
Policies are needed which promote access to employment, support the work of parenting and
offer more flexible work contracts. This requires a whole of government approach and input 5 Introduce the planned Working Family Payment, replacing FIS, where families only need to
from several departments10 to have any meaningful impact. work a minimum of 15 hours per week, in recognition of the difficulties lone parents can
face in balancing caring responsibilities and increasing their hours to 19 per week under
Community Employment (CE) can serve as an effective bridging programme to support the current FIS rules.12 (DSP)
those distant from the labour market in transitioning back into employment. Increasing
financial supports to lone parents engaging in CE makes returning to work more 6 Amend the administration of the Single Person Child Carer Credit (SPCCC) to reflect the
affordable and accessible. realities of sharing parenting. (Revenue)
In Budget 2014, the One Parent Family Tax Credit was replaced with the Single Person Child
Carer Credit (SPCCC). The key difference between them is that only one parent
can now claim the credit and that is generally the person with whom the child lives for the
whole or greater part of the year. One Family’s National Shared Parenting Survey Results &
Recommendations11 highlighted that administration of the SPCCC does
not take into consideration the complexities of shared parenting arrangements.
6 http://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/committee/dail/32/joint_committee_on_social_protection/ 9 SILC, 2015
reports/2017/2017-06-15_report-on-the-position-of-lone-parents-in-ireland_en.pdf 10 DJEI, DCYA, DSP, DES, DHPCLG, DPER
7 See One Family’s analysis here: https://onefamily.ie/policy-campaigns/one-family- 11 https://onefamily.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/One-Family_Shared-Parenting_
campaigns/one-parent-family-payment-reform-child-poverty/ Results-and-Recommendations_FINAL-REPORT_Online.pdf
8 CSO QNHS, Q2 2016 12 https://onefamily.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/OneFamily_WorkingFamilyPaymentSubmission_Mar17.pdf
3END CHILD POVERTY MAKE WORK PAY
ONE FAMILY’S KEY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BUDGET 2018
Housing & Homelessness Access to Education & Training
The most recent homelessness figures show that 65% of homeless families are one- Taking an education first approach will improve employment rates for one-parent
parent families13 and 45% of one-parent households are paying rent in the private families in the longer term. Jobseeker’s Transition (JST) payment recipients are a
rental market.14 There are commitments to increase the supply of social housing, distinct group with a specific set of needs. The time spent on JST is a unique opportunity
to address the needs of children who are homeless and to protect private tenants to invest in a package of supports and services to ensure that these parents can access
contained in Rebuilding Ireland15 and the Strategy for the Rental Sector16 which need education or employment.
to be implemented and targeted at one-parent families in the first instance.
Broadening access to JST will also allow parents with older children to enhance their
employability through further education and training. These recommendations would
Our Recommendations remove a number of structural barriers which currently prevent lone parents from
accessing education.
1 Prevent the crisis of one-parent families entering homelessness. Increasing
the supply of social housing is the only sustainable solution to the housing and
homelessness crisis and to tackle housing insecurity and lack of affordability. Our Recommendations
(DHPCLG, DSP)
1 rovide specialist bridging programmes such as New Futures and New Steps17 for
P
2 Ensure that homeless families due to be moved from hotels and B&Bs into “family lone parents which support progression, job-readiness and incorporate wrap around
hubs” are there for no longer than six months and provide intensive assistance parenting and family support services. (DSP, DES)
during this time to support them into longer term housing. (DHPCLG)
2
Provide that once a lone parent in receipt of One-Parent Family Payment/
3 Increase Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) and Rent Supplement limits in line with Jobseeker’s Transition and the SUSI maintenance grant begins full time study,
market rent and ensure that new HAP tenants are provided with a deposit and rent in prior to their youngest child reaching 14 years, they may remain on that payment
advance; sourcing this money places huge pressure on their household budgets and until their course is completed. There should be no obligation to switch to Back to
the viability of their tenancy as a result. (DHPCLG, DSP) Education Allowance. (DSP, DES)
4 Government must ensure that both parents in a shared parenting relationship are 3 Address the anomaly by which lone parents in receipt of Rent Supplement cannot
assessed appropriately for accommodation needs to facilitate overnight visits with receive their One-Parent Family Payment or Jobseeker’s Transition Payment and the
their children. (DHPCLG, DSP) SUSI maintenance grant on taking up an education or training course. (DSP, DES)
4 Ensure all lone parents in receipt of Back to Education Allowance can receive the
SUSI maintenance grant to help meet the costs of accessing education. (DSP, DES)
13 DHPCLG, April 2017
14 Census, 2016
15 http://rebuildingireland.ie/Rebuilding%20Ireland_Action%20Plan.pdf
16 https://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/strategy_for_the_rental_sector_final.pdf 17 https://onefamily.ie/education-training/for-parents/back-to-work-education/
4END CHILD POVERTY MAKE WORK PAY
ONE FAMILY’S KEY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BUDGET 2018
Early Years, Out-of-School and Afterschool Childcare Family Law Courts Reform
The provision of affordable, accessible and quality childcare, including early years and There is a chasm in the provision of legal family law services in Ireland due to the lack of
out-of-school care is essential if we want lone parents to enter work or education. The a CAFCASS21 type system, which exist in other jurisdictions such as the UK. This is the
proposed Affordable Childcare Scheme (ACS) is a very welcome development, however, type of investment that is required to keep children safe, to decrease familial conflict
it currently excludes afterschool providers and childminders who are not required or and to strengthen family relationships post-separation in Ireland.22
permitted to register with Tusla, which limits accessibility for many lone parents with One Family are aware through our work with parents that payment of child maintenance
older children who are subject to activation measures.
and domestic violence are significant issues for separated families. These issues
Childcare costs in Ireland are the highest in the OECD for lone parents and the second highest were also highlighted by a number of parents in our National Shared Parenting Survey
for couples.18 Both the Joint Oireachtas report19 and the joint NGO submission on child Results & Recommendations.23
poverty20 highlight the need for affordable and accessible childcare to support lone parents.
Our Recommendations
Our Recommendations
1 Serious consideration needs to be given to the longer term development of a court
1 Continue to develop and resource an Affordable Childcare Scheme which recognises welfare system in Ireland that would provide the necessary services for families
shared parenting and meets the needs of lone parents in education and work. (DCYA) attending family law courts. (DJE)
2 Increase accessibility so that families in every county can access subsidised and 2 The payment of maintenance is a perennial problem for parents, children and
affordable childcare, with particular emphasis on access to out-of-school care. This the courts, particularly where domestic violence and financial abuse is a factor.
requires further State investment and improved quality standards to increase quality, Research is required into the best systems internationally, where State intervention
uptake, and availability of places. (DCYA, DPER) is often the most effective way to ensure consistent payment. (DJE, DSP)
21 CAFCASS: Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service. https://www.cafcass.gov.uk/
18 OECD, ‘Ireland Economic Survey of Ireland’, September 2015
22 https://onefamily.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/One-Family_Shared-Parenting_
19 Ibid. 6 Results-and-Recommendations_FINAL-REPORT_Online.pdf
20 Ibid. 2 23 Ibid.
5END CHILD POVERTY
MAKE WORK PAY
Valerie Maher
Policy & Programmes Manager
One Family
T 01 662 9212
CHARITY No 6525
askonefamily Lo-call Helpline
1890 66 22 12
E vmaher@onefamily.ie
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